Customer Reviews

NOVI WI-4C 4-Channel FM Wireless Intercom

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I just purchased this unit and once I finally got it working I could not be more pleased. Just be warned that it was not as easy in my two story home to just plug one in upstairs and come downstairs with the other and have it work right away. Maybe I just have some "funky" wiring in this house, BUT I had to make about 6 trips up and down those stairs with a friend standing by the unit I wanted in the master bedroom while I tried various plugs upstairs until we finally got the things to work. All the electrical receptacles work fine, so I don't know why it did not work on the first try. Once working they are great...just keep in mind flexibility of placement in the event you have an experience similar to mine. I'm going to order another set to use between the den and my husband's workshop and feel they are a great deal for the cost and so much easier than a "hard wired" system.

I bought a set of four Westinghouse intercoms. Usually people buy intercoms because they have a large house and don't want to have to trapes all over it to communicate with other people. These Westinghouse intercoms (and I believe the same goes for the NOVI intercoms) require that all itercoms be on the same electrical circuit (that is, controlled by the same electrical breaker). So, if your kitchen, family room, master bedroom, and garage outlets are on different breakers in your main electrical control panel and you want to set up an intercom system, the Westinghouse system will not work for you.

Intercoms are usually for large houses...large houses usually have more than one electrical circuit for outlets...hence, this product likely will not work for most people. I replaced the Westinghouse intercom system with one by another manufacturer called the WireFree Intercom Reporter...this is a four channel system and it works great...works either with batteries or transformer...it is independent of the electrical circuits.

Laura, it did not work on all receptacles because the intercom system demanded that all intercom be on the same circuit. A typical house has more than one circuit. Could be tricky if for example, the master bedroom is not on the same cicruit as the basement.

Just purchased 3 units , thought they would work as well as the Novi units they were replacing however they have absolutely no range . My original Novi 2 channel units worked well from a distance of approx 110 ft from house to barn , these only work in the same room... I am attempting to return these currently.

I have a 4300 square foot home. I have purchased Novi wireless intercoms in the past and need to add to them. One has been in the room above the garage, one in the kitchen, and one in the basement near the computers. Those locations are not on the same circuit. I have never had any trouble getting them to work -- I've just had a couple wear out. In fact, at our old house, we could pick up communications from our neighbors across the street who had a set and we finally each decided which channel we'd use so we didn't hear each other's conversations! You might want to remember that when you use them! Clearly our neighbors intercoms weren't on the same circuit -- they weren't even in the same house! Maybe the newer ones (mine are at least six years old, but they are Novi wireless intercoms that you plug into the wall) have changed, but I've never had a problem like the one described. Maybe it's peculiar to the Westinghouse brand.

I just purchased a set of two 4 channel Westinghouse intercoms and they worked only intermittently. If I tipped one of the units, it worked sometimes, as though it had a bad connection. I am trying to return them now to the seller. Good luck if you purchase a set of these. They seem to be hit or miss as to whether you get a good set.

Briefly, I have four stations and they never really worked right, I presume because of the need to be on the same circuit. I want to replace them now but I'm not sure I'd buy this brand again.

We used a set of 3 of these in our two story home for years. Occasionally one of the upstairs units would pick up a stray signal and emit a little static noise -- remedied by switching channels.

Has a "lockable" transmit feature for use as a baby monitor (or spy device).

Seems to do what it's supposed to and at a reasonable price. Happy monitoring.

This is not technically a review, although based on what I've read I do plan on buying one of these. However, I found something on smarthome.com which will inter-connect the two main circuits that most houses have, thus allowing devices like this (and X10) work from any outlet to any other. This is not yet tested by me, but is at least promising.

Device is here:
http://www.smarthome.com/4816b2.html

Explanation is here:
http://www.smarthome.com/images/4816dgm_big.jpg

I bought this system for communication between our house and our barn 150 feet away on level land. I could not communicate at all...the crap system wouldn't even talk between the house and the attached garage. which is about 20 feet...they did work with the both units in the same room....which is useless...the company I bought them from would not refund my CC and referred me to the Westinghouse site...BEWARE this system is junk and not much better than a toy...